Livium Ltd (ASX: LIT) has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Energy-Cycle Pty Ltd to collaborate on fire protection and thermal runaway mitigation systems for lithium-ion battery collection and storage infrastructure. The project targets manufacturing-ready prototypes for enhanced battery collection infrastructure to maintain adherence to safety requirements, including NSW’s new mandatory battery stewardship regime.
Material Actions and Disclosures
The collaboration aims to integrate Energy-Cycle’s dual-mechanism fire protection system, which combines a gel thermal barrier with aerosol suppression, into Envirostream’s collection and storage products. The project comprises three workstreams: enhanced collection unit design, including a redesigned dangerous goods carton, developed to a manufacturing-ready prototype; enhanced storage pallet design, developed to a manufacturing-ready prototype; and a roadmap for extending the fire protection system across Envirostream’s collection and storage range, together with a regulatory compliance strategy.
Energy-Cycle will lead technical design, prototyping, and testing, while Envirostream will provide product specifications and access to existing products, and support design validation, field testing, and pilot deployment. The MOU provides for Envirostream to receive a non-exclusive, royalty-bearing licence to Energy-Cycle’s core technology, with detailed terms to be negotiated following grant approval.
Battery-related fires are estimated at 10,000–12,000 a year across Australia’s waste and recycling streams, increasing the importance of safer collection and storage infrastructure. The project addresses a practical industry need as well as new regulatory requirements under NSW’s mandatory battery stewardship regime.
Livium CEO and Managing Director, Simon Linge, commented, “Safe collection infrastructure is a practical requirement for the battery recycling industry as volumes grow. The collaboration with Energy-Cycle seeks to further enhance fire protection at the point batteries enter the recycling chain, particularly relevant following the commencement of NSW’s mandatory stewardship regime.”